The Stranger Vanishes - (Lily Dale Mystery) Large Print by Wendy Corsi Staub (Hardcover)

About the Book

Bella Jordan doesn't believe in spirits, but after a year in Lily Dale, the New York village filled with spiritual mediums, sometimes she wonders. Still, when a Black stranger wearing old-fashioned clothing arrives at her guesthouse late on Juneteenth, only to then vanish, she's sure there's a logical explanation. He can't be a ghost ... can he?!

Book Synopsis

New York Times bestseller Wendy Corsi Staub is back, with a new heart-warming cozy mystery set in the magical village of Lily Dale

In the quirky, picturesque lakeside community of Lily Dale, where the residents can talk to the dead, young widow Bella Jordan is the lone skeptic among believers. She doesn't believe in ghosts . . . but after a year in the village, she would admit that her new friends do sometimes seem to know impossible things.

Still, when a Black stranger dressed in old-fashioned clothing arrives unexpectedly at Bella's guesthouse at midnight on Juneteenth, only to vanish the next day as if he'd never existed, Bella's sure there has to be a logical explanation. One that has nothing to do with the strange warning Odelia, the medium next door, delivers from the Spirits: Beware of . . . Barry?!

Bella doesn't know a Barry, and she has enough people in her life already, what with her young son Max and their two kitties, handsome vet Drew, a plethora of kind but nosy neighbors and a full house of summer guests. But as the mystery of the missing stranger deepens, she starts to wonder: did the Spirits really mean Barry? Or did they mean bury . . .

If you're a fan of gentle mysteries filled with quirky but endearing characters, and haven't met Bella and her friends yet, you're in for a real treat! The Stranger Vanishes is the fifth Lily Dale cozy, and it's safe to jump right in.

Review Quotes

Nine Lives hooked me from page one. In fact I didn't want to put it down: with warm characters, an intriguing setting and just a touch of the unexplainable it's a thoroughly satisfying read-- " Rhys Bowen, New York Times bestselling author of the Molly Murphy and Royal Spyness mysteries"

A touch of the paranormal, a hint of romance, and a sweet and sympathetic protagonist will lure readers to enchanting Lily Dale again and again-- "Publishers Weekly on Something Buried, Something Blue"

Charming . . . Anyone who enjoys Nancy Atherton's "Aunt Dimity" mysteries will be drawn to this cozy-- "Library Journal on Something Buried, Something Blue"

Cozy fans will enjoy the company of Bella and crew-- "Publishers Weekly on Prose and Cons"

Staub introduces a host of warmly appealing characters and throws in a touch of the otherworldly. Recommend for readers who enjoy the TV show Charmed -- "Library Journal on Nine Lives"

The real treat is the slow-growing development of the characters-- "Kirkus Reviews"

This warm, small-town series will appeal to fans of the Hallmark Channel's The Good Witch -- "Booklist on Dead of Winter"

About the Author

New York Times and USA Today bestseller Wendy Corsi Staub is the award-winning author of more than ninety novels, including young adult fiction, psychological suspense and traditional mysteries. She lives in the New York City suburbs with her husband, their sons, and a trio (give or take) of rescue kitties.